Kinkaid is letting his good time roll

Goalie has best stretch as pro in same weekend that Union sweeps RPI

By Pete Dougherty

Published 9:40 pm, Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Photo: Hans Pennink

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Albany Devils' Goalie Keith Kinkaid (35) stops a Syracuse Crunch shot during the second period of their AHL hockey game, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) Pro Sports less

Albany Devils' Goalie Keith Kinkaid (35) stops a Syracuse Crunch shot during the second period of their AHL hockey game, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) ... more

Photo: Hans Pennink

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Syracuse Crunch's Mark Barberio (8) scores on Albany Devils' Goalie Keith Kinkaid (35) during the first period of their AHL hockey game, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) Pro Sports less

Syracuse Crunch's Mark Barberio (8) scores on Albany Devils' Goalie Keith Kinkaid (35) during the first period of their AHL hockey game, Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, in Albany, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the ... more

Photo: Hans Pennink

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Albany Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid watches from the bench during their game against Rochester at the Times Union Center in Albany N.Y., Wednesday March 28, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Albany Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid watches from the bench during their game against Rochester at the Times Union Center in Albany N.Y., Wednesday March 28, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Photo: Michael P. Farrell

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Albany Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid watches from the bench during their game against Rochester at the Times Union Center in Albany N.Y., Wednesday March 28, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Albany Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid watches from the bench during their game against Rochester at the Times Union Center in Albany N.Y., Wednesday March 28, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union)

Photo: Michael P. Farrell

Kinkaid is letting his good time roll

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Lansingburgh

It was hard to decipher which weekend results gave Keith Kinkaid more satisfaction.

Kinkaid was stellar in goal Friday and Saturday nights to lead the Albany Devils to road victories in Hartford and Syracuse, earning American Hockey League Player of the Week honors in the process.

At the same time, his alma mater, Union, swept its home-and-home series against Capital Region rival RPI.

"I knew Union was going to win anyway," Kinkaid said with a laugh. "It was good to see. I congratulated coach (Rick) Bennett over there, and he congratulated me. It's good to keep those ties."

Kinkaid, in his third season since leaving Union, seems to be playing the best hockey of his pro career.

He takes a personal five-game winning streak into Wednesday night's rematch with Hartford. Three of those victories came last week, when he posted a 0.97 goals-against average and .963 save percentage to earn AHL recognition.

"He looks comfortable right now," Devils coach Rick Kowalsky said Tuesday after practice at Knickerbacker Recreational Facility. "He looks in charge out there, the last two games in particular."

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At a glance

Hartford Wolf Pack at Albany Devils

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday

Where: Times Union Center

Radio: WTMM 104.5 FM

Kinkaid, 24, earned his sixth career shutout Friday, a 3-0 triumph over the Wolf Pack. He stretched his scoreless streak to 140 minutes, 8 seconds before giving up a goal to the Crunch. But he stopped all five Syracuse shootout attempts to give Albany its third straight victory, 2-1.

"I tweaked a few little things, and I'm using my past few years of experience to this year," Kinkaid said. "I just want to keep this streak alive and want to get us to playoffs. We haven't been to playoffs in I don't know how long. I haven't been to playoffs. I want to get there. It's the best time of the year."

The Devils' AHL franchise has reached the postseason only once (2009-10) in the past 13 seasons.

Albany's recent surge moved it into second place in the Northeast Division — one point ahead of Hartford — and to sixth in the Eastern Conference. The Devils have won four of their past five.

The Syracuse success was significant in that the Devils were 5-22 in shootouts the past two seasons. Kinkaid ranked 60th of 65 goalies in shootout save percentage as a rookie (.545) and 56th of 73 last season (.606).

"I haven't had the best record in shootouts in my past," said Kinkaid, whose shootout save percentage this season is .779. "It was important to stop every one."

Now the test is to see if Kinkaid, whose 1.97 GAA ranks second in the league behind former Devil Mike McKenna, can continue over the long haul.

"We've seen some signs of this before where he's looked really good," Kowalsky said. "We talk about that consistency. He's been solid."